Shackle seal



June 25, 1940..

w. M. BROOKS 2,205,841

SHACKLE SEAL Filed July 2 1938 14 15 1 7 15 ATTORN EY Patented June 25, 1940 UNlTED STATES SHAGKLE SEAL Winfred M. Brooks, West Orange, N. J., assignor to E. J. Brooks Company, Newark, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 2 1938, Serial No. 217,211

4 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to seals and has for its main object and feature a reduction in the cost of manufacturing seals, especially shackle seals and more particularly meat or poultry seals.

In the accompanying drawing the invention is shown in several concrete and preferred forms in which Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of one face of the seal;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the other face of the seal;

Fig. 3 is an edge View of the seal;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the seal applied to the article, such as meat, to be sealed with the elements in locked relation;

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a view in elevation of a second modified form of the invention.

The seal consists of a strip of sheet material I such as tin plate, having end portions 2 and 3 and an intermediate portion 4. 5 indicates a central and longitudinal tongue partly severed from the intermediate portion and having one end I and its side edges 8 free but having its other end 9 unsevered from end portion 2 of the strip. Not only is tongue 5 partly severed from the strip but it is also drawn slightly, as shown by its curvature, so as to convert it into a relatively rigid member. ll] indicates relatively flexible bridging portions that extend longitudinally between and connect end portions 2 and 3 and that lie adjacent the side edges of the tongue. Looking at the matter in a different light, intermediate portion 4 can be described as having a central longitudinal slot H with a tongue 5 lying in the plane of the slot. It will now be understood that tongue 5 can be brought into overlapping relation with the longitudinally adjacent end portion 3 after which the overlapping parts can be secured together in any suitable way. In .causing tongue 5 and end portion 3 to overlap, the relatively flexible bridging portions It will be flexed and will form a loop l2 and the relatively rigid tongue will lie substantially straight. The seal thus constitutes a shackle seal. If such a seal is to be used where the article to be sealed (such as meat) is also to be pierced, then tongue 5 will constitute a piercing member by simply making its free end i pointed.

The means for securing the overlapping parts of tongue 5 and end portion 3 together may vary. In Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, end portion 3 is provided with a transverse opening I3 and with struck-up lugs I4 that stand at an angle to the body of the strip, and tongue 5 is provided with an opening l5. In the act of overlapping the parts, tongue 5 is first passed through opening l3 and then over lugs it which latter enter opening l5 in the tongue. The thus interlocked parts are then pressed together with a hand tool thereby folding lugs it over tongue 5. If an attempt be made to tamper with the seal, the narrow neck portion l6 between the lugs will rupture first thereby revealing that an'attempt has been made to open the seal. If desired this neck can be weakened so as to facilitate its rupture. In Fig. 5 the means for securing the overlapping parts together are substantially the same as previously described, except that the transverse opening ll extends clear to the side edge of the strip. In Fig. 6, the transverse opening is omitted, and consequently lugs l8 are on the opposite face of the strip.

It will be understood that the strip can be stamped out from a sheet or from a long strip of metal and that simultaneously therewith the other stamping and drawing operations can be effected or, in accordance with well-known practice, the stamping and drawing operations can be carried out by successive steps.

I claim:

1. A shackle seal comprising: a strip-of sheet material having end portions and an intermediate portion, said intermediate portion including a central and longitudinal tongue partially severed from the strip and having one end and its side edges free and its other end unsevered from one end portion of the strip, said intermediate portion further including bridging portions that extend between and connect the two end portions of the strip, said tongue and said bridging portions being, with respect to each other, the former relatively rigid and the latter relatively flexible, said free end of the tongue overlapping the other end portion of said strip and being secured there" to, and said relatively flexible bridging portions constituting a loop.

2. A shackle seal comprising: a strip of sheet material having end portions and an intermediate portion, said intermediate portion including a central and longitudinal piercing member partially severed from the strip and having one end and its side edges free and its other end unsevered from one end portion of the strip, said intermediate portion further including bridging portions that extend between and connect the two end portions of the strip, said tongue and said bridging portions being, with respect to each other, the former relatively rigid and the latter relatively flexible, said free end of the piercing member overlapping the other end portion of said strip and being secured thereto, and said relatively flexible bridging portions constituting a loop.

3. Sealing means comprising: a strip of sheet material having end sections and an intermediate slotted section, a tongue connected to one of said end sections and lying in the plane of the slot of the intermediate section, said slotted section and said tongue being, with respect to each other, the former relatively flexible and the latter relatively rigid, and means to secure the free end of the tongue and the other of said end sections together including integral lugs on said other end 4. Sealing means comprising: a strip of sheet material having end sections and an intermediate slotted section, a tongue connected to one of said end sections and lying in the plane of the slot of the intermediate section, said slotted section and said tongue being, With respect to each other, the former relatively flexible and the latter relatively rigid, and means to secure the free end of the tongue and the other of said end sections together including a transverse opening in said 10 the tongue after said tongue has been passed 15 through the transverse opening in said other member.

W'INFRED M. BROOKS. 

